Mar 14 4 Steps to Building Healthy Boundaries with Work and Life

Has your work life been bleeding into your home life?

The only way you'll find balance is by building healthy boundaries. You've got to be super intentional about separating your responsibilities and down time. We'd all like to believe that work life and home life are one in the same but it's so much easier said than done. Building healthy boundaries helps you mentally replenish which (ironically) helps you be more productive at work.

So how do you do that? You've probably already realized that it doesn't just happen on its own. Take a look at the tips below and practice them every day!
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1.Focus

The primary key to building healthy boundaries with work and life is changing the focus on your thoughts. When you're at work, think of work, but when you leave, focus on tuning it all out. Put any work laptops out of your sight. Think of what's most important to you and remember that when you're off work. Notice the thoughts that you're having and when they're going negative about work, rein them in and focus on something you love outside of work.

2. Get Social

What better way to take your mind off work and start building healthy boundaries then by hanging out with your friends? We can forget to schedule time with our friends when we are so busy with our lives. Being with friends is such an essential part of happiness. When you're having fun it will be so much easier to be in the moment. If all your current friends happen to be co-workers, try some new fun ways to make friends outside of the office. You never know who you'll meet and how they'll change your life! Re-focus on your friends and you'll build boundaries with ease.

3. Take Vacation Days!!!

Don't be one of the 55% of Americans who don't use their vacation days! When you start feeling overwhelmed, plan a trip. Even if it's just a weekend trip hours away from your hometown, it pays to get away. Taking your vacation days will make you more productive and more creative. It's a key part of finding balance. Many companies are taking radical approaches to vacation days and giving unlimited days or making employees use their time off. They know how important these vacation days are. Use your vacation days to go somewhere you've always wanted to go and you'll get an extra boost of happiness.

4. Immerse Yourself in a Hobby

To keep your thoughts where they should be after hours, immerse yourself in something you love. Remember that thing you use to love when you were younger? The thing you could spend hours doing? Do that again! Pull out a coloring book, or guitar, or tennis racket and do the thing you really love. When we get deeply focused on something we enjoy, we get into a state of flow. Here, we aren't worrying about work and our to-do list. We are only focusing on doing this one thing. Being present in the moment is a fantastic way to start building healthy boundaries. You can't be overwhelmed by work if your mind is fully present at home!

What are you going to do to set healthy boundaries? Tell us your first step in the comments below.